Ousted Peru leader to remain in prison as hearing postponed

A judge in Peru on Wednesday postponed by 24 hours a hearing to decide whether ex-president Pedro Castillo will be released from detention on charges of rebellion and conspiracy.

Castillo’s arrest last week after he tried to dissolve parliament and rule by decree has sparked days of nationwide protests in which seven people have been killed.

Last week, a judge ordered Castillo to be held for seven days, and he was meant to be released on Wednesday.

However, prosecutors filed a request late Tuesday to hold him in pre-trial detention for 18 months. 

Judge Juan Checkley on Wednesday postponed a hearing on the new request until Thursday after defense attorneys argued they had not received all documents from the public prosecutor. 

He also ordered Castillo to remain in detention for another 48 hours.

Castillo, a leftist former school teacher, was in power for only 17 months in the South American nation that is prone to political instability and is now on its sixth president in six years.

His short period in office was marked by a power struggle with the opposition-dominated Congress, and six investigations into him and his family, mainly for corruption.

He was facing his third impeachment bid when, last Wednesday, he announced he was dissolving Congress and would rule by decree.

But lawmakers went ahead and voted to sack him and he was quickly arrested while trying to flee to the Mexican embassy and seek asylum.

Castillo’s vice president, Dina Boluarte, was sworn in as his successor, but has failed to calm tensions that have led to violent clashes between police and protestors in several parts of the country.